


Taken

by Ourfandomcrazyuniverse



Category: Team Starkid - Fandom, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid, tgwdlm - Fandom
Genre: Father figure hidgens, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Kidnapping tw, Other, vomit tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 22,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22227940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ourfandomcrazyuniverse/pseuds/Ourfandomcrazyuniverse
Summary: Emma is kidnapped and Paul and Hidgens, while completely broken in their own ways, want nothing more than to find her
Relationships: Emma Perkins x Paul matthews, Emma Perkins/Paul Matthews, Henry Hidgens & Emma Perkins, Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins, father figure hidgens - Relationship, paul matthews x Emma perkins, paulkins
Comments: 19
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

The last rush hour had finally finished and Emma was thankful Zoey was just getting her to wipe down the tables. It always got messy just before closing, when people needed that last hit of the day, Emma hated that people couldn’t learn to eat properly and not leave fucking crumbs and spilt milk everywhere but it was just a part of her job. She sighed, looking to Zoey who was leaning against the till, phone in hand, since Beanies was empty. At least Emma didn’t have to deal with any shitty customers right now.

But when the bell rung to the coffee shop she and Zoey’s eyes both darted up with a withheld groan. Zoey quickly avoided her gaze down to her phone, that meant Emma had to serve them. 

She walked over to the middle of the tables with a fake half-smile. “Hi, can I help-“ Emma was cut off as the mans hand reached out and latched onto Emma’s arm. Before she could say anything, too shocked at this out of place aggressiveness, even from the coffee deprived weirdos she’d seen in here before, he started walking away, dragging Emma with him. 

“Hey you can’t just...” Emma stopped her shouting because this man dressed head to toe in a black sweatsuit clearly wasn’t listening. But the single hint of fear in her voice caught Zoey’s attention. 

Zoey gracefully slid over the counter, following the man and yelling out curses at him in an effort to get him to talk. “Hey, psycho! Get your fuckin hands off her! What the shit asshole, hey?!” This was all too unreal. 

Emma shot Zoey a confused and startled look as she was pulled out the door, one Zoey shot back, both too speechless to communicate other than in looks. Both sharing the same thought of ‘what the fuck’. But Zoey was following close behind. 

Then Zoey screamed. Because, Emma, too busy still trying to communicate with eye contact, couldn’t see what was behind her. But Zoey was in the perfect position to see the doors of a black van being opened by a similarly attired man, the van right behind her coworker. “EMMA!” Zoey screamed, but it was too late. Emma didn’t even have a chance to look around before the man in the van grabbed her chest and pulled her in, the man on her arm pushing her. Zoey ran now, but the doors slammed and the van sped off, faster than Zoey could even hope to run. She snapped a photo of it, with her phone that was still on in her hands, but it was a complete blur. And then the van was out of sight. The next thing Zoey did involved her phone too, as she breathlessly and panickedly dialled 911.

~

Hidgens always liked to answer his phone formally. Not over the top formally like he worked at a soulless company but old fashioned and polite, so he could ask how anyone who cared enough to call him was doing. Even when talking to people he knew quite well, just like Paul, who was calling him at this moment. This was the first time he hadn’t even managed to get a Hello out before he was cut off on the other end.

“Emma’s been kidnapped!”

Hidgens couldn’t get a word out at all now.

Paul was hyperventilating. He’d been crying since Zoey called him, in tears herself, and told him what had happened.

It wasn’t that Hidgens thought Paul was a liar, or acting, but his brain physically wouldn’t allow him to believe what he was saying was reality. He didn’t even comprehend he was going to speak until his own voice startled him. “Are you sure she’s not just-?”

“No!” Paul yelling shocked Hidgens. It was something he’d never heard before from him and it made his heart sink into his stomach to know what had caused it. Paul choked on the other end, before managing to sob out “As in thrown in a black van, kidnapped.”

Like his whole body had given out, Hidgens fell to the floor. There were some crashes behind him and a sharp pain down his back but he was only marginally aware of them. His hands shook as he pulled back the curtains, maybe he’d see a van racing down the street right now. Or maybe Emma was about to come knocking on his door! Saying it was just a cab she got in and she wanted to see him, she’d call him dad and say she missed him and to invite Paul over, so she could have her family with her. He envisioned all this. But relaly it was just dark out there, with nothing else in sight. 

Hidgens didn’t feel anything. There was a subconscious part of him that wasn’t allowing that. If he felt even any emotions it would hinder him finding Emma. He had to keep working! He just felt he was supposed to look after Paul. For Emma. For now. It what she would want. Just till she was back... “Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

Paul moaned on the other end, not noticing or caring about the deadness in Hidgens voice. “No I’m at the police precinct now. I’m uh...” It seemed to take him a while to collect his thoughts, after a few seconds and a loud sniff he managed to speak again. “I’m waiting for Zoey till the police finish asking her a few questions, like after her report.”

Hidgens nodded. He moved like a zombie, walking over to get his car keys. He had to do something. But his body was moving on autopilot. He couldn’t think too hard or else he’d think about... He cleared his throat. “Alright then, call me when you’re done and I’ll come pick you up and ask you about what you know.”

“No I’m supposed to be driving Zoey home...” Paul answered, sounding exhausted and depleted.

“My boy you’re not in a fit state to drive.” He spoke authoritatively, like he did to his class, like he did when he was parenting.. “I’ll take Emma’s coworker home too, I should thank her for contacting the police anyway.” Hidgens didn’t even think about whether he was cognizant enough to drive himself or not.

When Hidgens got to try station over an hour later, Paul immediately ran up to him when he spotted the professor. Hidgens would have been taken aback at Paul throwing his arms around his middle, would have been if not for what the last few hours had entailed. 

Paul tucked his head into Hidgens chest, crying again, if he’d even stopped crying in the first place. He’d seen Emma do this so many times and just wanted to be close to her. He wanted someone to tell him it would be okay, and Emma wasn’t here to do that any more. “I don’t know what to do...” He whispered truthfully.

Hidgens eyes were grey and dead but he pat Paul’s back to comfort him. Emma would want him to look after Paul. “It’s alright son.” He promised, closing his eyes. “I’ll- we’ll do everything we can to get Emma back with us.”

Paul nodded fiercely, or what he thought was fiercely, sharply taking in deep breaths. He’d never felt like this before. But he’d make any sacrifice, cross any line, ruin any moral code, to make sure the woman he needed like air was safe.

In the back seat of his car Hidgens was looking in the rear view to Emma’s boyfriend and Emma’s coworker. Paul was looking out the window soullessly, even the bumps in the road didn’t seem to make him blink. You would have thought he was dead if not for the occasional nervous spasm in his neck. Zoey on the other hand was on her phone constantly, and Hidgens felt distaste in seeing that. Emma always complained about that factor of her manager, that she didn’t work hard enough. Maybe she was on her phone those couple of hours ago, and that meant she wasn’t fast enough to help Emma. But the growl in the back of Hidgens throat died down along with his assumptions when Zoey placed her hand in what was supposed to be a comforting gesture on Paul’s knee, and said ever so softly “Can you send me a picture of Emma? I don’t have any clear enough ones.” Now Hidgens started to piece it together. Even if a picture of his Emma with make up, hair in her eyes, blurry, they’d all know who it was. But complete strangers wouldn’t. Zoey was posting a picture of Emma for strangers. For the citizens of Hatchetfield to see and so they could keep an eye out for the missing woman. He settled his eyes on the road again, unclenching his weakening knuckles on the wheel. 

Paul seemed to wake up when he understood what Zoey was asking of him. “Yeah!” He said enthusiastically. Because finally, Paul thought there was something he could do to help. Something he was capable of doing that would save Emma. “That’s good.” He said out loud, although no one was sure if he meant to. 

He got his phone quickly out of his jacket pocket, searching 100s of his pictures, 90% of them consisting of Emma Perkins. And he eventually found a few that showed her face the clearest, she refused to look directly into the camera for pictures for him a lot. Paul selected them all on his iPhone, then went to send them to contacts, when he turned to Zoey with a worried glance. “I don’t have your number.” 

But it seemed to be no problem for the younger Beanies worker. Zoey simply took Paul’s phone and added it for him, not even bothering to type her whole name out, just a ‘Z’, as if every second counted. And for Zoey it did. She could post it as a man walking down the street sees Emma being walked to the airport or something, he gets her notification and immediately spots Emma. If he got the alert thirty seconds later he may have passed Emma and not even realised it and that was Emma dead. Zoey needed to make sure she was doing everything humanly possible.

~

No one got any sleep that first night.

The night had been and gone and no one had heard anything from the people in that van, nor Emma. And it was scary to wonder if the police just wouldn’t let anyone in on their investigation, or if they didn’t have any leads whatsoever. Paul was the person they gave updates to, as the man who lived with Emma and the fact she didn’t really communicate with her parents, Paul was her closest family. They didn’t know the full extent of Hidgens and Emma’s relationship, something that made Hidgens angry, even jealous of Paul at times. He wanted to be given updates. He’d known Emma before Paul, he saw Emma like his daughter, so he should be the one the police contact as soon as they know anything. But he sucked up all the rage he had for those evil bastards in that van and the police who weren’t doing enough so it wasn’t directed at poor Paul who just wanted Emma home safe as much as Hidgens did. Hidgens just stayed glued to Paul instead, decided he’d stay in Paul and Emma’s home for the time being, just in case Emma found her way back there. But they weren’t exactly home bound a lot.

6am they met at the corner of the street Beanies was on, since Beanies was closed for the investigation; skid marks, DNA, security videos, all of that. But they stood just outside because that’s where Nora was starting her search party. 

The police had their own search team on one half of the island. Hatechetfild was a tiny quiet town, there hadn’t been a kidnapping for as long as anyone could remember and not something so open as being thrown in a van, with a witness, before dark, nearly the entire police force were working on some part of this case. Nora had her search party searching the nature’s edges of downtown, mostly the woods.

Nora had lots of flyers printed too. Wherever they didn’t find anything, people were to post one. She also had maps, pictures of Emma, any and all information about Emma (like the clothes she was wearing), what they knew about the people who took her (which apart from clothes was very little), or theories the police have (like locations she may be hidden).

Paul was supposed to meet Bill there, but he’d had to call and apologise over and over that he had to come later. Bill felt terrible, like he’d betrayed his best friend in his time of need. But poor Bill, the man had been trying to take up so much responsibility. That morning Melissa had been inconsolable and Bill took up the other job of getting her counsellor in. He’d been up all night with Alice, letting her ‘work on the case’ because he could tell she needed to distract her brain. And when he couldn’t type any more he just held onto his daughter for the life of him. He couldn’t live in a world where she’d disappear like that.

Paul hated the attention he was getting. All the attention should be on Emma, everyone should be looking for her! But instead everyone was looking _at Paul._ People were brushing his arms and crying to him about how amazing Emma was when they didn’t know her like him. He didn’t want strangers hugging him or people chatting to him constantly it was overbearing, everyone wanted to ask how he felt and were all talking over each other, what if he couldn’t hear Emma screaming, what if he missed a vital call from the detectives, those people and Paul were supposed to be organising their positions and they were distracting him and not working themselves! Everyone had to be in their perfect assigned position by Nora so every inch was searched and nothing was missed. _Nothing_ could be missed! It could mean life or death!!!

One of the few people Paul didn’t mind talking to before the search started was Zoey. Not after yesterday, he had a few more questions to ask her. But there was one other big thing he wanted to talk to her about. She’d been building up a social media storm, something he hadn’t even asked her to do... and it was incredible. As well as the usual hashtags, tweets, Facebook pages, she’d done things Paul wouldn’t even have thought of. She’d made a geotag on snapchat with Emma’s details pleading for help, she’d paid the only instagram influencer in Hatchetfield/Clivesdale to post about it, someone with 10s of 1000s of followers. There were people who shared Emma’s face to keep on the look out, who asked if there was anywhere they could send money to help the cause. As well, the ‘actual’ media had come to talk to the police; the local newspaper and even an international tv network. Paul got nervous when they said they wanted to interview him, but Hidgens told him that cases like this don’t happen in broad daylight all the time, in a tiny town- with all the spotlight it was getting, it was good for Emma.

But when Paul saw Zoey turning up to Nora’s search party she looked like absolute shit. Her cheeks, eyes and face were red and puffy, her hair was drawn back and tangled, Paul didn’t think he’d ever seen her with no make up. It was like she hadn’t slept either, she hadn’t changed from her uniform, showered, she just went out to help more. He knew she was bad yesterday, but he’d never imagined her like this. Part of him thought about how even if she wasn’t best friends with Emma, seeing someone taken like that must have been frightening. The other part of him couldn’t care less for anyone, not till he had Emma back and could take care of her. She was the only important one.

But Paul and Zoey still managed to communicate with each other. They didn’t take a step towards the others, they didn’t speak, they didn’t gesture, they certainly didn’t smile. They just looked. They caught eye contact with the other. And both knew that was enough for them.

Hidgens was waiting for Paul. The search was about to begin in a few minutes, Nora just handing out the number to call if anything was found and he’d volunteered to look with Paul, as everyone had to go in pairs. He watched Paul talking to a woman named Carol, who from what he could hear of the conversation, was apparently his bosses wife. Paul seemed pleased to know how many people were coming out to support him and search for Emma, but Hidgens thought that may all be the only acting he’s ever done in his life. He watched as Paul was handed a foil wrapped tray and walked back up to Hidgens half heartedly. 

“Casserole.” Hidgens heard Paul mumble, his voice was getting hoarse from sobbing and talking to so many people. Hidgens took the tray off him, throwing it into the back of his car before locking it again. He couldn’t be carrying that around, especially now a fierce and commanding looking Nora was calling everyone to get into position.

One positive was Paul couldn’t wait to tell Emma how much her co workers cared about her.

~

Paul was at home. It was dark now and freezing, below freezing. He’d been forced home by Bill who only managed to get Paul home without a fight, by finding him something to do when he was there. Paul had never been a physical man, but he’d shoved Bill back every time he tried to step in front of him or lay a hand on his friend to convince him to go home for now. He actually thought Paul might hit him if he didn’t stop.

“I hope Emma is somewhere warm...” Is all Paul croaked out before letting Bill finally take him to his car. Bill almost had to carry his friend there. Apart from the odd grunts or huffs, he hadn’t been speaking during the search, too intensively listening out.

Paul hadn’t sat down all day. Not even when his work friends all came over to support him and share news.

“I spoke to Sam?” Charlotte piped up, like it was a question. Paul just paced, he didn’t look to her. She looked to the others who encouraged her to keep going and she struggled to find her wording, this was a different version of her friend she’d never seen. Even though she felt nothing but sorrow, for both her friends, missing and grieving... it..- _Paul..._ somewhat frightened her. “Well I made Sam promise to keep me updated for you, even the things they’re not supposed to tell us. But he promises they have the best detectives on the job!” Charlotte looked like she was going to cry when Paul didn’t even respond to her. He just kept pacing, except now his hand moved to his chin and he bit down on his thumb.

Ted didn’t like seeing Charlotte so crestfallen, but he also knew it wasn’t Paul’s fault she was this sad, not like he could really call him out on any shit anyway. Paul could probably punch him in the face for no reason and Ted wouldn’t have the heart to really yell at him. But he supported Charlotte’s statement, trying to convince Paul too. “Yeah! They oughta, because the entire side of this country is looking at your girlfriend, and they’re not gonna want the press if they can’t find her.” Ted wanted to convey that even the sleazeball police would work hard, because the media mattered more than the cases in this shitty world. He was just never good at wording shit around Paul.

“They’ll find her! Alright!?” Paul snapped. He flecked spittle as he hissed, finally turning to look at the people who’d come to support him, venom in his eyes and he watched as his friends all sunk away from him. 

Their startledness was bad enough, but the split second of fear in Melissa’s already red eyes made Paul’s head fall into his hands. This was too much. Everything was too much.

Ted spoke up for everyone now, the first to come out of their shock. “We know they will buddy. They’ll get Emma safe.” If he wasn’t mad, they certainly couldn’t be.

Paul nodded, his head falling onto Ted’s shoulder. He’d only gone up to pat Paul’s shoulder, but he awkwardly allowed the embrace and rubbed his hand up Paul’s back. 

“Oh!” Melissa piped up, and Ted turned to look at her, still awkwardly cradling Paul. Melissa just couldn’t take how nice it was to see those two hugging, to see Ted come out of his shell and comfort zone to comfort someone else. So she ran up and hugged Paul from behind, her fingers gripping to the back of Ted’s hand in the hug too. She rested her cheek against Paul’s back, biting her lip as his whole body vibrated with sobs. Then Bill and Charlotte joined. Melissa coudint really see who went first, because her head was on Paul, but she saw Bill reaching Paul’s left and Charlotte on the right. They were all there to comfort Paul, to let him know he was loved, and they’d do anything to help. That they cared. And as well, with how down everyone was right now, they all needed a little hug from each other.

Since Ted got the news he had been trying his best to console his work friends, the little crew that all knew Emma. He took some weight off Bill’s back and told him outright eh was a good friend, he convinced Melissa not to go in by calling Mr. Davidson and held her while she cried and waited for her counsellor, he made Charlotte her favourite tea and rubbed her back as she called Sam for updates. 

But Ted steered clear of Paul. 

When he could help it anyway. Not for any malevolent reason, he actually felt the most compassion for his dorky work friend he ever had, he just... had no idea what to say. He was angry though. Emma was his friend! Well more liek a frenemy but for Ted the fact she could be so brutal with him made her more of a friend than some of the other people he worked with. He was angry because Emma was tiny! Who could do that, what coward would go after her?! But there was also this sickeneing feeling of fear, because, not that he would have ever admitted it to anyone before, but Emma was one of the toughest people he knew... and they hadn’t heard anything from her.

He wasn’t good with words. Not around most people, and never had been with Paul. And he thought hugs were awkward, especially if they weren’t with someone he was already intimate with. But he’d put his pride aside for now. Because Paul was breaking, and he needed people.

~

When it got late, Bill stayed overnight, he was going to try to look after Paul for the next few days. He asked Charlotte if she could go collect Alice and drop her off at Debs for the night, since he didn’t want her out there alone right now. Deb had been a real comfort to Alice in the aftermath of... everything, and he’d began to trust her more, enough for them to have had a few sleepovers. 

Right now he was trying to make a meal but Paul was just on his feet constantly. “Paul? Why don’t you come sit down for a while?” He suggested softly, moving away from the pasta to follow his friend around the room. “I’ll get you some tea or something.”

Paul mumbled, letting Bill take his shoulders and lead him where he wanted. “Tea... no no no coffee. A cup of black coffee, that’ll keep me awake. I can work harder, work faster, find Emma faster.”

Bill sighed. He’d make it for him if Paul _promised_ to sit, but he wanted him to get some sleep and coffee wouldn’t help with that. Although the state Paul had been in this evening he didn’t even know if he’d taste the difference if he passed Paul a green tea instead of pure black coffee. But that just felt like tricking his already mentally exhausted friend. 

Bill held in his sigh, instead humming “Okay, black coffee, just sit down for me, will ya Paul?” He sort of... lightly pushed Paul once he was in front of the couch, and Paul just fell into a sitting position, like he hadn’t even registered his body moving. Bill rubbed his face anxiously as he got back to the pot, at least this way physically Paul’s body would get five minutes of rest. Bill had been up all night yesterday and he was already starting to want to close his eyes...

A slam in front of of him startled him to attention with a scream. He looked up to see Paul staring at him wide eyed, his sweaty palms against the counter where he’d apparently hit. “No no no!” Paul quickly rectified, grabbing Bills hand panickedly and harshly. Bill tried to pull it back lightly but Paul wouldn’t give in. He stared down his friend “No coffee! It won’t be as good as Emma’s! Only Emma can make me coffee.”

Bill understood now. His hand had been right next to the coffee pot and he lowered it back to the counter. Then Paul let go. “Okay Paul.” He spoke softly, moving to the other side of the counter and he raised his arm to shoulder it around Paul protectively. He knew Paul wasn’t fully aware of what he was doing right now. Not like he was crazy or anything, but he was frightened, angry, emotional and completely exhausted. All understandably. He’d been running around, more anxious than he’d ever been in his life, no coffee, with no sleep for over 1 1/2 days and Bill didn’t think he’d be getting any sleep tonight, even if he drugged Paul. He just seemed to run on autopilot, running around to do stuff to help find Emma.

But Paul wasn’t the only one in this house whose mind wasn’t controlling their body anymore and that Bill felt responsible to look after. Emma’s Professor, who he thought was her father at first, was staying with Paul for a while it seemed, and Bill was determined to make him food and get him to sleep too. 

When Bill called for the two men Paul nearly skidded in the kitchen. When he looked down at the plates set out, Bill watched frightened as Paul shook his head, then kept shaking it, his hands clawing at his face. 

“Hey hey, Paul...”

“I can’t! I can’t sit down and eat! Not when Emma’s out there! What if she hasn’t eaten? I need to keep trying to find her!”

Luckily, but something Bill wasn’t expecting, was the professor being able to understand Paul’s frame of mind slightly better right now. 

Hidgens sat down, Bill followed suit nervously, and Paul looked to the professor in shock. Hidgens just stabbed at the spaghetti and shovelled it up quickly. Bill really hadn’t been expecting that. But then he heard his explanation as the older man spoke to Paul. “It’ll be good to bring back our energy. Five minutes and we can focus more.” He pointed at Paul’s seat like Paul was a toddler refusing to come to the dinner table. Then he got this misty look in his eyes, something Bill didn’t miss, before he spoke up again. “Emma would get mad at us if we starved.”

Bill was thankful there was someone else to help him out with Paul, when they felt like intervening, Bill couldn’t morally ask that man for help with Paul when he was working tirelessly to find his daughter figure. But Bill also knew he had to look after the professor too. 

He may not have exppressed it the way you’d see on tv, nothing like the way Paul expressed it, but it was easy to see, Hidgens was a wreck. Bill had hidden all the alcohol as soon as he got to Paul’s house, especially when Paul was cognizant enough to ask him to, and Bill has a suspicion of a history with Hidgens and alcohol, but he hadn’t seen him drinking once. Henry was just quiet, unless he needed to speak, mostly when he was spoken too, otherwise he just holed up alone, presumably thinking.

~

It was a day later and Bill still hadn’t gotten Paul, or Hidgens, to get some sleep. He himself, managed to have a catnap on the couch but apart from that tried to stay awake, he had to be there for them.

Especially this afternoon, the detective constable was coming over to see Paul and Bill wanted to be there for him. It was probably the most alive he’d seen Hidgens too, when the dc walked in.

“Have you found anything new?!”  
“Any new leads?!”

The two men closest to Emma started as soon as a professional was around. Bill left them with her.

Hidgens kept his eyes focused on the detective, trying to spot her reactions, if she looked sad, guilty, confident. He wasn’t getting much. And he didn’t think it was anything to do with his detection skills, rather, they weren’t getting much in the case.

“You might both want to sit down for this.” The detective started, she looked to Paul, helping him sit. The poor man was pale as a sheet with a sickly sweat dripping off him. It wasn’t suspicious though, every intuition in her body screamed that he couldn’t have been involved, set this up or paid those men to get an alibi. The other man had no motive either. She actually almost suspended a beat cop who tried to keep pushing the theory of this older man being jealous and having something to do with that young woman’s disappearance. To her, they were both victims too, the family can hurt more than the victim ever did in some cases she watched unfold over the years. And not a bone in her body thought either one of these men would hurt that woman, she was good at reading people.

Hidgens sat on the couch and Paul slid into his armchair. They both looked up at the woman who potentially held Emma’s life in her hands, and clung onto every word she said. Until they got news they’d rather not have heard.

The detective sighed above them, preparing for their reactions. It was always different with people. “Within the first 48 hours, which was marked an hour ago, if the victim-“

“Victim?!” Paul yelled. He mauled at his hair as the detective took a brief pause, before continuing to speak. She was quite desensitised, and this was a sensitive lad. “If _they_ aren’t found within that time... we start to look at the investigation in a different way... It becomes less likely that we’ll find them, or find them instead of just a body.”

No. No no no no no no! No!!! Paul got up shakily, no one knew why he was standing. 

_Not that word._

Than he ran to the kitchen sink and just made it time as he began to vomit. Hot, sticky, sweet fluid in his throat that made a horrible gargling sound as it spewed out. He kept choking, like he couldn’t breathe, then he threw up again.

The few contents of his stomach had been emptied and he didn’t want to do anything about it. He just stayed right where he was, sickly drool dripping down his chin and into the sink, and he cried.

The detective seemed to have experienced this one before. She got Paul some water and patted his back. “You shouldn’t lose hope just yet though.” She cooed as much as she could with her firm tone, built from years of authority, but still there in a job where empathy was needed. 

Paul looked up from the sink, his hands still gripping to the counter, the edges sinking into his red palms. “But you’re changing your investigation?” He asked, having to spit back into the sink. Something he would have hated to do before, he got anxious blowing his nose in front of people! But not much of that stuff seemed to matter anymore. 

Hidgens did look to the detective worriedly after that, about to go into rant about how they should do their job. They shouldn’t focus completely on statistics! Emma was a fighter! What if they missed something because they were working on an innacurate theory?

But the constable fixed it all up. “It just means we look at further theories and look at evidence in more ways. It’s the same amount of work and effort, maybe even more, we just have two routes to look down until we know anything further.”

When they got what little updates the police had, Hidgens let the detective out of the house and called for Bill to come help pick Paul up off the floor.

Bill rushed in, kneeling down next to Paul and letting him bundle himself into his arms, let him curl up into his friend like a scared child. Bill rocked him, hushing his whispers. “It doesn’t mean anything. I bet Emma’s still out there.” He tried to remain positive.

Hidgens didn’t have an opinion on what Bill was saying. He was a realist, but his mind would not allow any negative possibilities into light, it protected him in that way. 

Hidgens had no idea what he’d do without Emma any longer. 

The buzz of his phone distracted him from just mindlessly staring at a crying Paul. He excused hismself and went to the bathroom, opening up his messages. It was weird enough since no one ever texted him, he presumed maybe it was a condolences text. Perhaps the detective had found something just now and Paul was too emotional to hear his phone go off? Maybe Emma had managed to reach him!

The fact the message was from an unknown number made Hidgens feel more alive than he had the past 48 hours. His adrenaline really started pumping when he saw the message was just a video, and on the thumbnail, a man in a black mask.

With his throat tightening and bile in his stomach, Hidgens played the message.

“We thought we’d give you some time to think and worry.” Said a man in a balaclava. Hidgens was deathly silent.

The man continued. “The girl’s not been hurt...” Suddenly an angry looking Emma was shoved into frame by two other hands. Hidgens fell to the ground. Then he quickly scrambled for his phone, rewinding the last few seconds, just to make sure. But it was his Emma alright. Her hands were tied together with rope, her wrists looking raw from it. Her clothes were slightly dirty but fine apart from that, and she looked quite thin around her cheekbones, he studied her carefully. But the only other thing he could analyse was the deathly glare in her eyes. She was still fighting. Seconds later, she was pushed back away from the camera.

Hidgens inhaled slowly. She was safe, and they were clearly keeping her that way, and showing him this video for a reason. He gave himself a couple of seconds to study Emma’s body language one last time, before pressing play again.

“Now here’s what we want from you to keep your daughter that way.”

Hidgens listened close and hard. It wasn’t money they wanted in trade for Emma... but Hidgens work. An idea he’d been working on and was about to start to physically produce. He’d been excited about the prospect for years, but nothing beat Emma’s safe return. He’d give his life if it meant her not ever having another hard day in her own.

There was one last message from the kidnappers, accompanying the short video. “Don’t call the police, or she dies.”

Hidgens had no intention of putting his Emma in any jeopardy. He wouldn’t call the the police, he’d easily and happily give up this project that had consumed him for so many years. He wouldn’t tell Paul where he’d be going, in fact, he decided to sneak out the back to avoid him but mostly Bill, whilst texting meet up details with the perpetrators. It was up to him to save his daughter, and he was going to make sure nothing further would happen to her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continued straight on from the last chapter...

_It’s all my fault It’s all my fault It’s all my fault!_

That’s all Hidgens could think as he waited for the hostage takes to send an address to meet up at. When he did get the adress he was going to rush home to grab the file full of his works they were using Emma as a bargaining chip for and the other bare necessities. 

They said not to involve the police and Hidgens wouldn’t, he wouldn’t risk it. It wasn’t even a question. He’d gladly just hand the file over in exchange for Emma’s safe return.

He was going to sneak out to be as quick as possible. But when Hidgens heard screaming, he decided to go downstairs just to check on Paul for Emma.

Getting there he saw Paul’s head between his knees, his hands scraping at his head and nestled into Bill’s side, and he was rocking back and forth.

Paul wouldn’t have to worry soon enough. Hidgens walked over to Bill and simply told him “I’m going out for a bit, so do not leave Paul alone while I’m gone please.” Adding that last part when seeing the broken man his Emma loved so dearly.

“W- Hey wait a second!” Bill awkwardly took his arm back from Paul and jumped up, Bill wanted to try and convince the professor to stay, it would make it easier to look after the both of them if they were both in the same house. Plus Hidgens had this weird look in his eyes... Bill didn’t want to let him go off on his own, at least not without knowing where he was off to. So he asked “Just, well where are you going? What are you doing?”

Hidgens rocked back and forth on his feet, not wanting Emma to be held away a second longer, but he thought Bill might try and fight him if he didn’t get a clear answer. So Hidgens told him. “I’m just going home, getting some files for Emma.”

It was completely true but not like Bill would figure out just how important those files were for her, those files that had nothing to do with her, she shouldn’t have been taken because of him...

“Okay just call me if you need anything.” Bill asked, tiredly giving Hidgens a shoulder pat while moving to get Paul some water. He was looking like he might throw up again.

Hidgens never really spoke to Bill but he seemed like such a lovely young man. He would like him being Emma’s friend, soon she’d be able to see all her friends again.

Looking down, Hidgens saw Paul had taken his head out from his knees, but he was staring with dead eyes at the wall. As well, he seemed to be chanting something as he rocked, with his hands around his ears maybe he didn’t even realise he was speaking out loud. But kneeling down, Hidgens could hear him clearly now.

“Emma’s not dead. Emma’s not dead.” He repeated the phrase over and over, rocking constantly. 

Hidgens felt terrible for the young man, at least soon they’d both have their Emma back. He placed a supportive hand on his shoulder and leant his head in close to Paul’s to whisper to him. “You’re right son. She’s not gone.”

Finally, Paul made eye contact. Hidgens watched as he nodded once before going back to rocking silently, his hands going down from his ears to hug his knees close to his chest instead. He was crying now but at least his eyes had that tiny spark of life back in them again. 

So Hidgens felt well enough to stand up. That’s when he caught the look Bill gave behind his back, obviously from Hidgens telling Paul Emma wasn’t dead so surely. He turned aorund to face the younger man and he immediately lowered his head like he was in trouble, he knew Hidgens had seen that look. So Bill just gave him an “Of course” obviously trying to spare his feelings too. But Hidgens knew Emma was alive. And now he wanted Emma before Paul completely shut down and lost it.

~~~~~~~

When Hidgens got to the adress it was an abandoned car garage just like google maps had said. He stood about for a moment, wondering if they were late, when out of an old looking truck, parked under the bright floodlights outside, a small group of men, all wearing stockings over their heads, cane out. Four standing near the entrance of the garage, and one a good 15 feet ahead of them, and 20 away from Hidgens.

The first thing Hidgens said was straight down to business. He wouldn’t let Emma spend another second in fear. “Just so you know I have insurance. If I don’t text my friend in the force back within the hour the videos and everything you sent me are sent straight to him.” And that was true. he had all those files backed up on Paul’s home computer linking to Sam’s email address in case they checked so they could see it was a real officer the information would be going to, and because if he died doing this he wanted Emma to have her best chance.

But the scumbags he was speaking to seemed to not give a shit. “Whatever.” The presumed ringleader of the thugs said, the one standing in front, although Hidgens knew these were just thugs working for a higher power, what would they do with his work? “You can do whatever you want with that shit after, we’re gonna be long gone by then.” He held his hand out, his voice becoming louder now. “So. The file.”

Hidgens held the file closer to his chest, already expecting this and knowing what to say. “Her first. I want to see her first, make sure you haven’t broken your promise.” He had no reason to suspect these thugs wouldn’t just kill or torture her for their own amusement. 

To Hidgens relief though, he didn’t have to bargain too hard. The ringleader nodded his head back to a few of his men and they went into the side garage door. Moments later the big garage door meant for cars opened and out came two men holding his Emma’s arms, looking tinier than she ever had.

Hidgens kept his stance straight, but his insides turned into mush as he saw his dear Emma, still breathing. He quickly examined her from their distance before her captors could resume talking. Her hands were tied behind her back with rope, as well as having a blindfold, heavy headphones that seemed to be noise cancelling and a horrible ball gag in her mouth. 

She was desperately throwing her head around, as if she could possibly see or hear what was going on, but the two men holding her arms weren’t letting her wriggle that much. 

But what really made a growl rise up in Hidgens throat, was the purple bruise, only just visible under Emma’s blindfold. His eyes shot to them “You said you weren’t going to hurt her.” He snapped. Emma clearly couldn’t hear his voice or he knows she would have shown it and possibly even calmed. 

The man at the front shrugged and one of the bastards holding Emma’s left arm responded “We said we wouldn’t kill her, she tried to fight back so I did what I had to. She deserved a lot more, if she wasn’t a precious cargo.”

Hidgens hated the way the man with the tattooed hand holding her spoke about Emma, she was a person! She was his daughter.

“Now you’ve seen her, the file.” The leader ordered, bringing Hidgens attention back to him.

Hidgens had brought the actual file. He had back ups of fucking course, they were stupid if they didn’t think a court wouldn’t rule him the owner and the police wouldn’t know who ordered this attcak once someone came out with the same idea as him, and most importantly, nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to Emma’s life, not even his own. But they were stupid enough to not even check the file.

He walked midway, walking until the man pressed his hand out for him to stop, placed it down, and the ringleader walked towards it once Hidgens was in position. 

As soon as they got the file, they were done. Hidgens watched in terror as Emma was thrown from one of the men to another, and when one was done they ran into the back of the truck. His poor Emma was tumbled about, being shoved aorund with no senses and no hands out to help her if she fell. 

Hidgens stormed forwards as more and more of the men depleted. The tattooed one threw her to the smallest of the group, running into the open back and now there was only one man left with his Emma. There was one driver and the other few were in the open back of the truck. Emma was almost safe and home.

That’s when Hidgens, still walking forward, pulled out his gun and shot. The bullet went straight into the tattooed mans neck, the top half of his body flopping out of the truck, his eyes wide open in that last second of horror and it was clear to Hidgens the man was dead.

There were shouts of terror from the men, just like the terror they’d put Emma through. Hidgens opened fire at the rest of them too, really uncaring if they were hit or not. 

The man who’d bruised Emma was dead. 

Hidgens had murdered him in cold blood, they were leaving, they were shoving Emma back to him, it wasn’t self defence, Hidgens had just killed a man. And not one single part of him cared at all. 

The last man shoved Emma at Hidgens as he just managed to hurl hismelf into the truck, with multiple bullet holes, and they sped off. 

With all her senses nulled or vanished Emma had no idea what was going on when she was pushed, so she fell. Luckily, Hidgens had run towards her as soon as the first mans hands left her body. So she fell into Hidgens arms, just in time, and then Hidgens lowered her upper body onto his lap quickly as they both fell.

Once Hidgens had pulled her down, from the shock of having Emma safe in his arms, he didn’t let go. He forgot this would alarm Emma. Immediately she started squirming. Fighting, kicking out, head butting his chest, trying to scream angrily through her gag.

He did feel bad that she didn’t recognise who he was but he knew that was stupid, and how terrified she must be. So loudly, Hidgens tried to hush Emma with a high voice. He promised he was not going to hurt her and hoped she could hear his loud voice through her headphones but of course she couldn’t. It wasn’t helped that any noise she could have heard was outdone by the fact she was still fighting. When Hidgens hands brushed against the rope, that was only burning her more as she fought, Hidgens decided if he untied her then she’d know he was good, he was helping her.

Emma wasn’t scared. She was a fighter. Just because she was small and kinda disadvantaged at the moment didn’t mean she had to die right here and now. But now, she started to really get scared, feel that pit of dread in her stomach that made her legs wobble, as she felt her body forced around and rested on her stomach in this man’s legs. She didn’t like being in this position. It was even harder to fight them off! Then she felt something she didn’t quite expect, the rope tugging at her hands, were they tightening it? She tried to kick her legs back and buck them, maybe she’d end up scraping her shoe again this knee or something.

Hidgens growled frustratedly at himself as he found out he couldn’t undo the rope yet, it would take him quite a bit longer and was especially hard with Emma wriggling around and tightening her own restraints. So he decided to do the one thing that he knew could calm her and honestly probably should have been the first thing he did, if he could think clearly at the moment. He turned her over so her back was on his legs now instead and took her blindfold off. 

The bright floodlights hurt Emma’s eyes but she pushed that thought away and batted her eyes until she could see her attacker clearly. Her... her protecter...

Hidgens stopped for a moment to look down at his darling child. Emmas eyes widened and sparkled with tears, her head on his lap looking up, she asked “Hidgens?” Muffled through her gag and in so small a voice. Like she couldn’t believe it.

Hidgens nodded frantically, knowing she couldn’t hear yet, so took off her ear muffs then that nasty ball gag and she could finally speak. 

Emma felt like a babe swaddled in his lap, and she just burst into tears. “Dad!!!!”

Even though her hands were still tied, Hidgens leant down and held her against him as close as he possibly could, I’m here...” he cooed to her. “It’s alright darling, I’m here now.” The only reason he wasn’t crying was because he wasn’t allowing hismelf to, because he needed his eyes to be clear to undo Emma’s restraints. Which he went to quickly do. He could hear Emma whimpering as he touched the sensitive skin, shaking against his body as she wanted him holding her again, she was finally allowing herself to be vulnerable, now she knew she was safe.

And once Emma’s hands were finally free for the first time in days, she used them to give Hidgens the biggest hug she’d ever given in her life. And Hidgens held her back, rocking her in his arms and allowing a singular sob, getting a little bit of spittle on her shoulder as he rested his chin there, their cheeks pressed together in their embrace.

But then, Hidgens was shocked as Emma pulled back so quick. Only to understand as she blurted out “I heard gunshots! Are you okay?!” 

Hidgens could almost laugh, after all she went through one of the first things she did was worry about him. Oh his Emma. 

“Yes darling don’t worry about me, they just fired warning shots, none of them hit me I’m fine.” He said easily. 

Masking that he would and had killled and simply get on with his life for anyone who hurt the only person that mattered.

Emma nodded with a whimper, curling her arms around Hidgens neck for another hug. Hidgens quickly decided on what to do next, looking over his shoulder just in case those men decided to come back for more trouble. “Come on sweetheart, let’s get you out of here.” Straight away, without even asking if she could walk, he pulled her into his arms and into his chest, Emma’s arms already in the correct position to stay hanging on as Hidgens ran to the car with her.

~~~~~~~~~

Hidgens quickly shuffled Emma into his car, he wanted to get her out of that place as soon as possible. He opened the door for her first, strapped her in before running over to his side and starting the car. 

“Do you need to go to the hospital?!” Hidgens choked out, speeding down the streets, already on his way there. Emma shook her head. “I’m fine! I’m fine!” She repeated, but Hidgens wasn’t done panicking. “Where’d did they hurt you?! Did they touch you Emma?!” He yelled, already knowing from her black eye one spot they’d touched her. “No, no, they just kept me out of the way, Hidgens!” She started curling her body tilted to Hidgens side. “I... I just want... I want Paul. I want you and Paul. I wanna go home.” Her voice cracked like she was about to cry herself, which Hidgens already thought she’d be doing honestly. 

He only slowed down as Emma ran her hand over his on the gear stick and smoothed down his skin till it stopped shaking, comforting both her and him. 

He would take Emma home. He’d do everything she asked. Then he’d get Paul’s help to convince her to go to the hospital just in case. He at least wanted her on some fluids, she was all skin and bones, they clearly hadn’t bothered to feed his Emma while she was away. And on their way to the hospital after meeting Paul, Hidgens would call the detectives.

Hidgens only realised as he pulled up to Paul’s house that he hadn’t been able to message anyone yet. He’d been so busy driving her away from all that that he hadn’t even been able to think about it. So he couldn’t imagine what the reactions would be as he pulled Emma back into their lives.

Hidgens helped Emma out the car, giving her an arm for support to help her walk through the front lawn, even though she wasn’t injured she still seeemd a bit weak, shaky, probably a lack of nurtirents and sleep, he could tell by looking under her eyes she hadn’t slept at all.

Hidgens wanted to kick down the door and scream to the rooftops but he slowly opened it with his key, letting Emma lean into him as he brought her into the warmth, and locked the door behind him. Before he could announce for everyone to come in he heard Emma cry out “Paul?!” Her voice wobbling to the point it almost didn’t sound like his name.

But Paul heard her clear as day.

Paul skidded around the corner, nearly falling at his speed, until he laid eyes on Emma. 

Emma looked like she wanted to run into his arms but just couldn’t move. But she was okay now. Crying, snot, tears and spit dripping down her face.

Paul, however, could only move very slowly. His eyes just traced her up and down, over and over and over. He walked to her slowly, like a toddler taking its first steps. “Are you dead?” 

Emma’s whole body stopped, she couldn’t even get out the words to refute him before Paul choked out “Am I dead?”

“No no Paul, baby, it’s me. I’m safe. Hidgens saved me.” Emma never used the word ‘baby’, unless she was really scared for Paul, really needed to comfort him. And God this was worse than any break down, or panic attack, or bad day she’d ever seen. He needed her.

Once Paul was finally in front of her, he fell to knees in front of Emma. It’s all he could do. He wrapped his arms softly around her waist and slowly leant his head on her stomach. She was here. And then he cried.

Emma rubbed her hand through his hair as it bounced with his cries, now crying too.

Paul sniffled into her top. “I thought... I wanted... I couldn’t...”

“Sssssh.” Emma kept stroking through his hair, hushing him. Paul choked on his spit, crying out even more, his whole body red. But Emma was there to help him. “I know. It’s okay. I’m here now.”

Paul had her on his lap at the kitchen table. Bill had just ordered some food before Hidgens came back and Emma was ravenous. Right now she was devouring a massive burger, licking the grease off her fingers even though she had been trying to be veggie. Paul was holding his burger out too, just waiting for her to grab it and when she was done with Bill’s, offering it out. Emma absolutely started to destroy it, half the condiments going everywhere and she licked it up from her face, and now Paul could hold her with both hands. 

She clearly hadn’t been fed, or been too suspicious to eat, the past 2+ days, and Paul doubted she’d eaten before heading off to her shift either. He’d make sure she ate at least three meals a day with snacks in between every day from now on.

He let her eat, rocking her, head on her shoulder, watching her unblinkingly as Hidgens called the detectives on Emma’s case. 

She didn’t even smell like her anymore, she smelt like mud and rust and things so unlike Emma, apart from her sweat, he inhaled that and nuzzled his face into her work shirt she still had on. He’d run her a bath with her favourite bath bombs later. 

Paul heard Hidgens tell the detectives they’ll all meet at the hospital. And even though Paul wanted Emma in his arms, eating up, at home, he also wanted her to be looked after and see what those cunts did to her...

~~~~~~~~

In Hidgens car on the way to the hospital, Paul was sitting in the back with Emma, and trying to get her onto his lap as much as their seatbelts would allow. He wouldn’t compromise her safety for it obviously. But he needed her to be with him, and she equally needed him to keep touching her, to remind her she was actually with her boys and was safe now.

Hidgens did want Emma’s hand on his again, as he was driving before. But he knew Paul could hold her in the back, which was much better than hand holding so probably better for her. He sacrificed comforting his daughter for the lovebirds.

~~~~~~~~~~

Emma was sitting on a hospital bed, waiting for the nurse, with Paul standing above her holding her hand, and Hidgens sitting next to her with a hand on her knee. She didn’t know why Paul wouldn’t sit with them, even behind her since okay the bed wasn’t big enough for the three of them to sit side by side. But Paul wanted to stand right now. But he also wanted to hold her too.

Hidgens knew he was trying to guard her. Prepare for an attack.

When the nurse finally came in both Hidgens and Paul sighed, Emma gripped Paul’s hand tighter. He squeezed back, moving closer to her arm.

“Alright, sorry about that, we promise you’re a big priority here. Now if you’d like to leave your friends for a moment and just come with me.”

Paul gave out a strangled whimper when the nurse tried to take Emma away from him. He held onto her hand still, and didn’t let go, even as Emma stood up. 

Luckily the nurse didn’t even have to be informed of the situation, near everyone in Hatchetfield knew Emma’s face now, not that Emma knew the extent of her rescue mission. So that’s probably why she was softer to Paul. “Oh don’t worry, it’s not for long. We’re just gonna get her into her hopstial gown, ready for the doctor.”

But Emma didn’t want to be separated from her boys either. “Oh no that’s okay! I can do that and he can stay. It’s fine.”

So the nurse allowed, leaving them with the gown. As soon as the nurse had given in Paul brought Emma’s hand, he had never let go of, up to his face, kissing it and sniffing slightly. 

Hidgens, who’d been wordlessly watching the exchange, left Emma to get dressed and went to find the detectives. But they weren’t allowed in until Emma had been checked over by the doctors.

Everyone in the room was relieved that nothing was wrong with Emma, except for some deficiency in nutrients and lack of food, but it wasn’t as though she was on the brink of starvation. There were a few bruises from when she’d been shoved around including the purple one under her eye, some friction burns against her wrist from the rope and a lack of sleep, but apart from that she was okay. They were going to get her on some fluids and keep her overnight just in case, but apart from that she was very lucky the kidnappers did do as they say, and didn’t harm her until they got what they wanted.

When the detectives where finally allowed into Emma’s room, after a few minutes of talking with her guardians around, they wanted to interview her alone, it was just standard procedure of course. Paul however, was not happy.

Paul didn’t want to leave Emma alone for the interview. Right now he was sat on Emma’s hospital bed with her, her legs bacislly on top of his, entwined and tangled, and his arms draped around her shoulders, Hidgens sitting in a chair he’d pushed right to side of bed. 

“Police business son. It will only a moment, then you can get back to your girlfriend.”

“But can’t I be here for like, emotional support or something?” Paul tried, not really understanding they had to have Emma alone in case Paul or Hidgens had organised this kidnapping thing himself and Emma wouldn’t be able to talk about it with him there. Not that they suspected that, especially the dc who’d been to see Paul many times. It was just procedure.

But Paul allowed comfort from Emma and Hidgens that, she’d be in fact, just fine with two police officers right there with her. So the two went to get some coffee for Emma, and Hidgens suggested Paul busying himself by finally informing everyone Emma had been found and was safe. Something truthfully both men, even Bill who’d gone to finally pick up Alice now, had forgotten to do.

As soon as the detectives were out the door Hidgens invited hismelf in. Paul wanted to too, but Emma had someone watching over her now and he wanted to ask the detectives if they had any leads on catching those fuckheads.

Emma sat up, one second alone and she was joined again. She was slightly surprised to see just Hidgens, but that didn’t stop her from opening her arms out with a whimper, and letting her father take a turn holding her.

Hidgens nearly jumped onto the bed, careful around Emma, even though she wasn’t that fragile right now, psychically at least, and left his arms open for her to shuffle onto his lap. Emma sighed out shakily, she could be as weak as she needed aorund him, and she knew he wouldn’t see her any less. So she shoved her head into his chest. _“Dad...”_

Hidgens wrapped his arms all the way round her small body, linking his hands to keep a lock on her. Emma held his hands close, keeping a grip on his knuckles.

For the first proper time Hidgens allowed hismelf to really cry now. Emma was safe. Emma was fine. He didn’t need to be completely strong for her, he could finally break, now she was here to keep him strong. “Oh Emma...” He coughed, choking up. “I’m so so sorry.”

“No...” Emma moaned, pressing herself as far into Hidgens as possible.

Hidgens just continued. “If I... If we weren’t a family, if I wasn’t around you as much, like the lonely man I am, you wouldn’t have been targeted like that dear. You wouldn’t have been hurt, you wouldn’t have been involved!”

“Hidgens?”

Hidgens stopped rambling, leaving the room silent for Emma to speak. 

Emma just looked up at him, her cheek resting on his chest and her eyes tired. “Shut up.”

Hidgens opened his mouth and then shut it, he looked a bit like a fish, with no idea how to reposed. Until he did just shut his mouth, and closed his eyes, his head resting atop his daughters. Emma wouldn’t allow Hidgens to think like that. This was not his fault.

Paul rushed in mere moments later, even though he was standing right outside her door, it was like he ran to get inside. Then he let Hidgens take his place up there, Emma just seemed so cozy, and took Hidgens seat himself, where he lay his head on Emma’s lap, and Emma ran her fingers through Paul’s hair that she could tell he hadn’t brushed in days, to soothe herself.

What Emma was not expecting was the flurry of visitors that came to see her. Let alone the first person to be Zoey.

Emma only blinked when she saw her coworker there, she thought visiting hours were over but maybe they just had different rules for kidnappees??? She still didn’t know the media shit storm surrounding her disappearance.

What Emma also wasn’t expecting was Zoey’s pure reaction. 

Zoey just couldn’t believe it. She’d let Emma get taken right in front of her but here she was, alive, not tortured, and completely safe. She just clapped her hand over her mouth, but that didn’t stop her from crying hard. She ran over and threw her arms around Emma, and after a few moments of awkwardly hanging there, Emma ran her hand up and down her younger coworkers back. She’d always hated Hatchetfield, hated half the poeple she had to interact with on a daily basis, now she wanted nothing more than to hug Zoey back and for everything to go back to normal.

Once Zoey had left, Hidgens calling a cab for her since she seemed too shaken up to walk home herself, two more visitors were allowed in. Charlotte, Emma had expected out of all the possible people who might want to visit her, Ted she hadn’t even thought about the possibility. 

She got more hugs from Charlotte, and Ted was awkwardly there with a get well balloon he’d clearly bought downstairs, hopefully to buy him some time Emma thought. Ted just wanted to feel like he was doing some productive and nice shit for her. It had a smiling sun and Emma snorted as she was passed it, putting it by the flowers Zoey had asked Hidgens to bring up for her, seeing them on her way down and Ted did give an awkward ruffle of Emma’s hair. “I, erm. I missed having someone to take the piss out of... Don’t be too pansy now on short stuff. I give you a week of free reign being a punching bag for ya before I get out all the shit I need to crush you with.”

Paul looked pissed. He even stopped hugging Charlotte incase he needed to throw Ted out, but he kept it subtle. Emma just raised her eyebrow. “Oh yeah? I learnt swear words you’d never know, I could beat you to a pulp from this hospital bed, one stab from this IV into your jug?” Emma raised her hand where the needle was attached and kissed her teeth. “You should sleep with one eye open now I’m back pal.” Hidgens was so happy his darling was getting back to her normal self so quickly, he hoped it wasn’t just her bottling up her feelings.

Melissa, Bill and Alice were all coming to visit Emma tomorrow, as well as a tonne of people Emma didn’t expect to want to see her, like Nora and the other Beanies girls, a coupe of people she barely remembered the names of who now seemed to think they were best friends even Paul’s boss and his wife? But for now the nurses were adamant Emma got some rest, so with the exception of Hidgens and Paul, Emma was to have strictly no more visitors. Once they’d all been sent out, Emma turned towards her boys with an exasperated look.

“Emma what’s wrong?!” Paul immediately asked, jumping to hold her hands. Hidgens thought he was a little too paranoid right now. Both Hidgens and Emma knew she wasn’t sighing because anything was particularly wrong per se. But Emma just held him back and sighed, rubbing her thumb over his knuckles anxiously “I just... I didn’t think so many people would want to come see me. Didn’t the doc even say there were reporters outside? Like she said they had a camera?! Not just newspaper writers, a tv crew guys!”

“Erm Emma dear, did she tell you it was msnbc too?” Hidgens added, just to give Emma the full picture. Judging by her jaw dropping from her face, he guessed not.

“What the hell is going on? I don’t think any big news people have reported on Hatchetfield in... ever! Let alone come here. Just to see me? I’m fine! I’m really not that bad! There has to be more important stuff going on.”

“Nothing’s more important than you.” Paul butted in stubbornly, sitting down on Emma’s bed with her yet again, drawing her onto his lap to make a point. But now he bit his lip. “Emma do you want to see all the media about you the past couple of days?”

“What? Wait yes show me!”

“How long have you got?”

Hidgens watched as Paul got out his phone and started with alllll the social media posts. Hidgens had had to turn most of his notifications off, as the local trending topic of #emmafound, was almost breaking his phone. He just knew the demand video would make the story even more sensational. Maybe Emma could use the money, but he didn’t think she needed that in her life right now. He could even give her the money they’d offer anyway! He’d always been soft with her and knew that he spoilt her, so he tried not to do it as much as possible. Now he knew there was nothing Emma could ask him for that he wouldn’t provide.

Paul went through all of social media, everyone’s posts that she knew, including just how much Zoey had done, Emma was a bit excited learning an actor she liked who grew up in Hatchetfield had tweeted about her, she saw all the posts about her recovery trend online. Then she saw the news articles, the videos from police body cameras and others took from the search for her... her body, in the woods, she leaned into Paul at those ones, wondering if the people she loved had thought she was dead, how she could have been, and he ran his hand up and down her back, and when Hidgens wasn’t looking, slipped it under her shirt to rake his nails down her bare skin, down her spine, to draw patterns with his fingertips, when Hidgens looked back Paul didn’t care enough to stop. He wanted to show her everything, and he knew right now, people would be writing stories about his brave, strong Emma too. All the while as Paul held his phone out, their free hands were touching on the back of the phone, and he was nuzzling into her hair, he didn’t want to see these things now she was back with him.

Hidgens had finally collapsed in his chair, neither Emma nor Paul thought a meteorite strike would wake him at this rate, they could talk at a normal volume, although both spoke a lot softer than usual which had nothing to do with the professor, and he wouldn’t even stir.

Paul tried to avoid the interview he was in for ABC, that being broadcast nationwide, and then likely to be on YouTube worldwide, was terrifying, but not more terrifying than Emma seeing what a mess he was. Instead he found a video, of Nora on top of a podium on the street Beanies was on, handing out her flyers “Oh look at this next one!” He started when Emma took her other hand and placed it on the back of Paul’s, pulling his phone down.

Emma looked up to Paul, throwing her head against his arm, instead of where it had been lain on his shoulder, her eyes slitting. “I do want to look, but Paul I wanna sleep.” She told him truthfully. 

Paul nodded his head fast enough Emma was worried about whiplash. “Of course!” He nearly yelled in his eagerness to please her, slowly laying Emma’s head down on her pillows, before giving a smile and rushing to the windows, yanking the blinds down hurriedly. God she must have been exhausted.

Emma watched him go, shakily holding out her hand with the needle still in it, God she hated looking at that. Paul looked over from where he was putting a blanket over Hidgens, his eyes trailing from Emma’s down to her hand.

“Paul please stay with me. Promise you’ll stay awake and won’t leave.” It wasn’t a question, Emma couldn’t be left alone right now. She felt much safer with Hidgens here of course, but she needed Paul too, and she wanted someone to stay awake...

Paul, of course, promised without hesitation. “Emma babe I promise you. I won’t ever let anyone get _near_ you again. You don’t have to worry because I’m going to make sure nothing ever happens to you. I **promise.”** As he was saying all this he ran and took her hand up in his own, lying down in her bed by her side, just like they should be. Except this was a hospital bed, and Paul didn’t ever want to see Emma in one of these again.

Emma quickly snuggled into Pauls side, and Paul threw his arm over her shoulder and gripped around her body, holding her close, caging her from the outside world. “You and Hidgens can take shifts if you want.” Emma gave as a small joke. Instead she was silenced as Paul leant down, puckered his lips ever so smally, and pressed a kiss to the top of her nose. Emma’s cheeks started to tint pink then, and that was before Paul spoke up. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Emma responded immediately. It was quite shocking it was the first time they’d said that to each other since they’d been reunited, but then again they’d both been so shocked themselves.

“Go to sleep, I’ll be here.” Paul lightly suggested, speaking in a soft but somehow rumblier voice now but Emma wasn’t about to argue. She pressed her head to his chest, to listen to his heartbeat, but then she wriggled till her head was tucked right under Paul’s chin, so she could hear and feel his throat and it was so weirdly calming.

So, with tears tiredly falling down her sunken eyes, the skin around them dark and hollow, Emma quickly fell into a coma like sleep, and was out within mere moments.

Except she did wake at one point throughout the night. She didn’t know when or why, but it was clearly still late since it was dark in the room and she could hear Hidgens whistling, asleep next to her. But not Paul though. It was dark enough that Paul wouldn’t have been able to tell Emma’s eyes were half open, even if he was looking at her. Following his line of sight Emma saw Paul was looking at notching, staring at the window but the curtains were shut.

But there was no use pretending now. Emma was awake and she wanted him. “Paul?” She whispered gruellingly, tiredly reaching her hand out and Paul swiftly held it in his own again.

Now he was looking down at her Emma saw Paul’s face was nothing but concerned and loving for her. So Emma just closed her eyes with a sigh again, stretching her fingers around his to fall back asleep. Emma thought that maybe earlier his expression was just trick of light, something she couldn’t quite tell in her groggy state and with it being so dark in the hospital room. After all, she’d never seen Paul murderous before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even after weeks, Paul was extremely protective of Emma. He was always touching some part of her. Holding her hands, his lips pressed against her hair as they sat together, a hand on her leg, her on his lap, his fingers dancing on her skin, or completely buried into her, and that was just the beginning. 

Occasionally, after hours of silence where Emma thought Paul was simply watching a film with her, something she’d asked him to take up again instead of focusing on the news like always, he’d pop up randomly with something he’d clearly been brewing over that entire time. This time, Emma was sitting on Paul’s thighs, marathoning some crappy show they’d been given the boxset for for Christmas but never watched, when Paul, his chin on Emma’s hair, and her being able to feel his throat as he spoke, said out loud “I’m never leaving your side again.” 

Sometimes, it almost scared Emma with the assuredness he spoke in, it just was so unlike him. Then he stuffed face into the crook of her neck from behind, buried into her and breathing her in. He spoke up again, this time a whimper as he told her “I need you.” And Emma was then purring over him, playing with his hair just how he liked, while Paul kissed her shoulder very sweetly. Or recently, her neck, just how she liked, whenever she’d asked Paul. Paul would do anything and did everything for Emma.

Hidgens wasn’t as bad the past few days, with the police knowing who those criminals were now and beginning their chase. But he had been protective himself. He’d begged Emma to come live with him, where he had gates, defences, where he could protect her. Even Paul had agreed, just wanting what was best for her. But when their begging got too much Emma broke into a fit of tears, falling to the floor and struggling out that she just wanted to be at home. So Hidgens had been sleeping over at their house for a while.

Meanwhile Emma had been being spoilt rotten, if was actually kinda overwhelming. One thing Paul was trying to give to her that Emma really was trying hard to not take, was therapy.

It was only a few days after the incident when Paul had suggested getting Emma a counsellor straight away. And he hadn’t given up on the concept yet.

“Ah man... I don’t really like telling people, like, strangers how I feel...” Emma had said, one of the only times she’d sounded meek in her life, she always looked straight to the ground when the question was brought up.

Paul, however, was not taking no for an answer on this one. “Nope. It’s good for you, you’re not bottling this up.” He told her confidently. But he’d never force her, make her feel trapped. He’d give it up and then ask again every other day.

~~~~~~~~~

Paul looked down and saw Emma under the covers, rolling around on his lap and squirming up into a foetal position, then the whimpering started again. He brushed his fingers through her hair, calling her name. Normally that would relax her or he’d have to keep going till he woke her up. 

This time she bolted upright and screamed. Tears burst from her eyes and she screamed like someday had stabbed her. Paul immediately turned the light on. “EMMA!” He shouted through her screams, trying to get her to look at him.

When he eventually snagged her arm in a gentle gold she jumped and faced him. Then she realised who it was. 

“Paul?!” Her bottom lip wobbled before a cry burst open from her lips and she threw herself into arms. She was struggling to breathe through her sobs.

Paul scrambled to get a hold of her, rocking her in his arms. “Ssssh ssh it’s over, you’re not there you’re at home, you’re with me, you’re okay now.” He repeated like he always did. Except he didn’t think he’d ever send her this inconsolable after one of her dreams.

Only a second after Paul had spoken Hidgens burst into the room. He made sure everything was okay, there were no intruders, before setting his eyes upon the shaking girl. “Oh Emma.” 

He joined them on bed and Emma moved her head onto him, crying into his neck now, hot tears staining his pyjama top while Paul rubbed her back as she was still sitting in his lap. “Was it the nightmare again?” Paul asked empathetically. 

Emma nodded quickly and whimpered, her lip wobbling more than the rest of her body before she got out “B-but different this time.”

“How was it different darling?” 

Emma looked up to Hidgens, biting her lip hard to get it to stop shaking, then she turned her head back to Paul and he took her hand up in his. “It’s okay honey, just tell us what happened.”

Nodding, Emma sighed into Hidgens collarbone, playing with Paul’s hands. “It started off like the others, when I tried to leave and he... y’know the guy hit me.” She sniffed. “But because I couldn’t see their faces, in my dream he looks like my dad.” Both Hidgens and Paul reeled at that one, but both stayed like steel for her. 

Emma brought Pauls hand up with a loud cry and buried her face into it, one cheek resting against each of her boys. “But this time it was different. It got to to the point where you came to recuse me dad.” Now she looked up to her real father, and he stroked through hair. But Emma didn’t continue straight away, her eyes moved, feeling like they were were burning with her tears and exhaustion, until she looked over to Paul. “And you came to save me too.”

Paul flinched, using his thumb to stoke Emma’s cheek lightly. “I wish I could have been there sweetheart.” But strangely Emma shook her head vehemently. 

“No! Because in the dream I had my blinfold off so I could see, then I heard those gunshots again and they!...” Emma threw her eyes closed like she couldn’t bear to visualise it. Until she cried out. “They killed both of you!!”

She collapsed her head onto Pauls chest now, sobbing loudly in her anguish as Paul kissed over her head over and over, whispering sweet nothings and calm words. Hidgens grasped her other hand and took up the role of rubbing her back soothingly. 

Internally, he felt terrible the gunshots scared her tonight, especially because she didn’t know the truth, that no one was shooting at them. But it was all fine. It was all over now. 

Emma choked up into Paul’s neck now. “And I tried to go to you but I was too slow! Y-You were both bleeding and the entire floor was covered in red. It was so sticky and why I couldn’t move! T-Then the guy who hit me he saw me trying to get to you and they threw me around again and they were going to take me away now they had the file anyway and- and that’s when I woke up...”

Hidgens noticed she was sweating now, from head to toe. And she was choking and coughing after finishing talking for so long and still crying, spluttering into Paul’s neck as he just held her under his chin. 

Paul tucked his chin over her hair again, to make her feel more secure, before asking her “Would you like to try and sleep again in a minute?”

Emma shook her head hard, which they all knew the answer would be. Then she groaned and moved her top half back over to Hidgens, wanting him too. Hidgens kissed atop her messy bed hair and kept his lips there, letting Emma close her eyes against his skin, feeling the tickle of her eyelashes and her wet tears and spittle even as she stopped sobbing so. 

So Hidgens suggested “Why don’t we all go to my ‘bed’, have a nice change of scenery?” His ‘bed’ was their sofa bed they’d set out in the living room whilst Hidgens was staying over. So nodding, Hidgens kept his hold on Emma as he helped her out of bed, and Paul took over once they were at the stairs, asking if he could lift her up before holding her in his arms and carrying her bridal style down the stairs.

Hidgens took back over comforting his poor, dear Emma while Paul made the sofa bed into just a sofa again. 

Once it was back into its intended purpose they all sat down together, with Emma in the middle, to watch some tv together. Emma didn’t have an idea what half the shows or films were, but she didn’t want to have to pay too much attention. She liked the noise, the light, mostly the warmth and touch of her boys, with both holding her respective hand.

And Hidgens, bless him, fell asleep forty minutes in, once he knew Emma was okay, on Emma’s shoulder. Which, in turn, relaxed her so much so she put her head on Paul’s shoulder and fell asleep on him half an hour later. Paul kissed her head once he saw her finally at peace again, and looked over the both of them, staying up all night to look over her. Watching as Hidgens woke with a pleased smile on his face and Emma slept soundly for hours and hours.

~~~~~~~~~~

As much as Paul seemed to want to look after Emma, Emma knew he wasn’t exactly looking after hismelf. Not that he let an ounce of that show when they were together. She only knew because of glimpses she caught of her boy when he thought she couldn’t see.

For one, Paul didn’t really sleep a lot. Not anymore. Emma would regularly go to sleep and when she woke up part way through the night, for just a few seconds, Paul would be holding her, wide awake, and when Emma woke up properly in the morning he would still be in same position.

One night, Emma just couldn’t shut her mouth any more. She woke up a few times in that night, feeling generally restless, and every time she woke up in the exact same position, Paul sitting upright, her head comfortably on his thighs and her hands securely in his. 

This time Emma sighed, she started to get up off Pauls lap and he sat straight to attention, thinking maybe he did something wrong and woke her this time, only for Emma to pull Paul down and drag him until his head fell on the pillow. “Lie with me.” She mumbled into her pillow, peeking open a sleepy eye when she saw Paul was still looking at her, and he started to run his hands through her hair. Emma did give a muffled moan at the touch, it was relaxing, and wrapped her arm over his chest. “Sleep with me. You never fall asleep with me anymore.” She whined.

Paul leaned up on his elbow, slightly leaning over Emma before he started kissing over her sleepy features lightly. Dusting his lips from her fingertips, her knuckles, the inside of her wrist all the way up her arm, then getting her collar bone, peppering up her neck, her chin, swiping his lips across her cheek, then her nose, then her other cheek, hovering them over her ears, her forehead, her hair, and finally pressing a small one to her lips because Emma seemed itching to reciprocate.

She sighed when Paul pulled away from their short kiss, bringing a hand up to his chest as he leaned over her. “You don’t sleep at all.” She was worried, and now sleepy she was happy to go into it.

“I do, I wouldn’t be alive if I didn’t.”  
Paul pointed out, staying leaned over her since she asked, not verbally, but both hands were gripping the material of his shirt tightly.

“Whenever I wake up you’re awake, you‘ve been wide awake every time I’ve woken tonight.”

Paul just sighed. “I was staying awake because you weren’t sleeping well tonight, I was worried you may be having nightmares again.”

At that Emma let go of his shirt, instead she slipped her hand under where the loose collar of the fabric was and ran her hand over his skin, needing something to do. “Well you probably would have woken if I’d been screaming gain.” She added quietly, she didn’t love talking about it but she wanted to prove Paul wrong so he’d get some rest. “You could have slept.”

“But you were so comfy, I didn’t want to wake you by moving you. I was comfy with you too.”

He was sweet, but she knew what he was doing, he wouldn’t look her in the eye, choosing to look at any other part of her. “Stop making excuses hun.” She lightly chided.

Paul shook his head above her, closing his eyes “No these are all true.” And since he didn’t re-open his eyes Emma hypothesised this was the first time he’d closed his eyes since she’d... gone.

Now she started cooing, she left one hand drawing patterns in his chest, the other leading him down to lay with her again. Now she rested her head on his shoulder, looking up to him, as she kept that skin on skin contact going. “They’re just not the main reason buddy?” She asked, knowing she was right.

Paul nodded, his eyes still closed but now they were screwed tight, then Emma saw that they were starting to wet, and realised he was trying not to cry.

Emma nestled in closer, peppering kisses against Paul’s face slowly, as he tried to regain his composure to let out his truth.

“You were taken... _and I couldn’t do anything.”_

“No Paul don’t-“ Emma wanted to cry herself now, she couldn’t stand him tearing himself apart like this. 

But Paul thought it was the least of what he deserved. “No! I was useless! I tried to help, I gave out your picture, I searched for you everywhere! I did a fucking nationwide tv interview and I was still helpless. Basically all I did was cry and cause more problems, people were forced to look after me when they should have been looking for you, when I didn’t mean shit.”

“Hey!” Emma grabbed his cheeks now, forcing his eyes open to look at hers. “You never mean shit!” She told him fiercely, but now with his eyes forced open the tears were spilling uncontrollably. 

Paul nodded in her hands, the tears trickling between her fingers, then shook his head, holding her hands to his cheeks and tracing over them. The double negatives were confusing him. “No! Because I didn’t do shit to even help you in the end, Hidgens found you! Which I’m so so so glad he did but I wasn’t a help at all! I was and still am pretty much useless!”

Emma was worrying now, how long had he been bottling _this_ up?! She ran her hands down his face, soothing his hiccups. “No, no. Paul baby listen to me, okay? Hidgens only found me because they wanted him too, they gave him the fucking address for God’s sake! I would’ve been more useless than you if it was the opposite way round. I definitely would have killed someone and then there would have been less people to help bring you home to me.” She joked and Paul sniffled with the smallest of smiles. “Ted?” His eyes darted from Emma’s lips to see if she was smiling, back down to the mattress. And now Emma was beaming “Oh you know he’d have been the first to experience my wrath.”

Paul turned to his side to wrap his arms around Emma, cozying on up next to her and nuzzling into her face just lightly, it was almost like a cat. But Emma was the one purring and Paul booped his nose against hers. Emma stroked through his hair, just behind his ear. “But you’re helping now. You’re helping so much because I’m almost coping when I have you with me like this. I can’t thank you enough. And you’re certainly not useless, you never have been and never will be. I love you so much Paul, I hate that sometimes you can’t see that.”

There was a pause in which Paul started to look down, feeling bad, when Emma tilted his chin up with her thumb and forefinger. “But that’s okay. Because we all feel like that sometimes and no matter what there’s nothing I could hate about you, or ever want to change. I love you, okay?”

Paul was smiling now, something Emma couldn’t even remember the last time he did. Then he was caging Emma closer to him, extending his chin to allow her to plant more little kisses from his chest upwards. It was the most amazing feeling to have her with him again, and it was something he’d never let go of. “I love you more than anything Emma.”

When Paul started to get overstimulated with affection, shaking from the amount his heart was bursting, Emma slowly snuggled her way into his arms, letting him tangle his legs with hers first even though she desperately wanted to be holding him as much as she could and straight away but finally, for the first time in a long time, Paul was asleep. And Emma sneakily pretended to sleep herself, only to stay awake and watch as Paul finally started to lightly snore. God she’d missed his snoring.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When it was Emma’s first day back at work, everyone was slightly panicking. She hadn’t even been to Beanies since she’d been taken from there. And of course there was the unreasonable fear everyone had that what if those people came back for her there?

Walking in and hearing that bell ring brought back a flow of memories and emotions, including dread. Luckily, Paul was right there with Emma, holding her hand. And Paul had told her today he was going to spend the entire day in Beanies with her. “I won’t let you leave my sight.” He said meaning to comfort her, Emma having to calm him down just a little.

It was just before opening, as Emma was to work 7 (Beanies opened later on a Sunday) till 12, a shorter shift in the sunlight for her first time back. And as soon as the bell rung Emma watched as Zoey gracefully skidded round the corner. She neatly hopped the counter but then ran over to Emma, hugging her close to her chest and Emma gasped, a little surprised still at Zoey’s affection, although she had been getting more used to it, and pulled back with a comment about how nice her body spray was.

As Emma cleaned up tables, not having to deal with customers, and managing to clean Paul’s table every half hour, Paul had just been sitting in his seat, drinking his black coffees and watching Emma like a hawk. 

Eventually when she saw just how scared Paul was as she came out from the back, saw the relieved look in his eyes as she came back in one piece and took another swig of his shitty coffee, she walked up and took a seat at his table. “I don’t think the coffee is helping your paranoia babe.” She told him, laying a hand on his and lowering his cup down before it touched his lips.

Paul nodded, knowing his hands were shaking and that was another reason Emma had held them. But he didn’t want to leave Emma alone. He didn’t want to break his promise!

As Paul and Emma got a few words in, Zoey walked over to settle everyone down as she spoke. “Hey I promise she’ll be safe too.” Emma didn’t like the way Zoey spoke, as if she wasn’t there, as if she was helpless, but the hand with neatly painted nails that fell on her shoulder let her know Zoey hadn’t meant it like that, she was trying to reassure a clearly struggling Paul. 

But after those words of confidence from Zoey, Paul said he was gonna go take a walk. He didn’t actually mind, for a reason none of the Beanies workers knew. But since Paul had been watching Emma he’d noticed all day Zoey had been following Emma everywhere like she was her mother hen.

Paul left his phone on in case she needed him, but he didn’t come back to the coffee shop till near the end of Emma’s shift. When he arrived he watched her talking to Nora who seemed to come to take over her shift now, and Paul hung back to let her say goodbye to her workers who used to piss her off hourly that she now considered friends.

But when they were home it turned out Paul hadn’t been the only one who was paranoid. Emma was just better at hiding it.

“Paul I don’t think I can work at Beanies any more.”

Paul understood, In fact he’d kinda expected it, but he wanted to let Emma come to that conclusion and make that choice on her own.

“I just... I can’t be there. Paul?..” She opened her arms for some comfort, and of course Paul was right there to provide it. He swooped into her arms, and swayed her on the floor, letting her press her cheek into his chest and resting a hand gently on the back of her head, playing with her hair. “Am I being stupid?” She asked, her voice muffled into his shirt.

Of course, Paul banished that idea. “No babe. You’re incapable of being stupid.”

Emma snorted into him, looking up with a singular raised eyebrow “Wanna bet?”

Paul smiled back, but placed a sweet kiss to her forehead instead of jesting also. “I think if that’s what’s best for you you shouldn’t go back there.” He tugged at the strands near the nape of her neck that needed to be straightened out, and watched as Emma very subtly rolled her back, enjoying it. He kissed her head again, addicted to the movement. “I can provide enough for the two of us till you find somewhere else. And if it’s too early to start working again I’m like a thousand percent sure Hidgens would be throwing money at us faster than we could catch it.”

“Like strippers?”

Paul groaned, turning into a chuckle as he let his face fall into her hair. “Please don’t get that job babe, I’d be too scared to set foot in there and then I wouldn’t be able to see you as much.”

Emma poked his hip, watching Paul giggle and squirm, and then she grabbed his arms and pulled him back into holding her. “Hmm best defence for not tolerating me being a stripper babe. But I’m sure all the fancy lights would hide those red cheeks of yours.” She teased, before pinching his cheeks that were already starting to heat up now.

“I don’t mind if you wanna do it as a recreational activity.” Paul mumbled, content at letting her tease him for his slightly pink cheeks now. Only Emma wanted to make it worse. “Yeah sounds good babe. Although I think I’ll keep that training as an acitivity for home, an audience of one.” Now she was pleased once Paul’s neck chest and ears turned bright red and his hands got all fiddly. She did try to kiss them to bring him down but it only made his whole skin more flushed.

Paul had offered Emma a job at his work. Then they could be closer to each other! CCRP were looking for more PA’s, and Paul had apparently told everyone that Emma used to be a barista so already could make amazing coffees. Even though she hadn’t finished her last 2 weeks yet and hadn’t talked to Paul about working with him, but she understood it was just him being more excited and wanting to boast about his bomb ass girlfriend than anything.

And there was a big week of consideration. It was a pretty standard pay for a PA but much better pay than Beanies. Clashes with class was a big problem though, and she was talking to Hidgens while Paul talked to his bosses as they thought about the future.

But then just a day after her leaving party at Beanies, Emma jumped in the car as Paul picked her up from college, and he wasn’t even allowed to ask how her day was before she gave him their hello kiss and told him excitedly “I’ve got a job offer! And I think I’m gonna take it!”

Paul was a bit surprised but cooed happily and curiously as Emma told him the news. “Oh well that’s great babe! You seem really excited so I’m happy for you.”

“Yeah but the pay isn’t as good as some of the other offers, is that okay?” Once Emma had strapped herself in she held Paul’s hand over the gear stick.

Paul just snorted. “Em of course it’s okay! I just want you to be happy!” The light was red so he looked over and Emma stole a peck. When he leaned back he had a much bigger smile on his face. “So go on then, what’s this cool new job you’ve been offered, do you have a nice boss?” He asked her.

Now Emma was smiling to herself, looking very sneaky but super excited. “Oh I’ll have the best boss. And plus it’s a man who’s been bossing me about for ages now!”

Paul raised an eyebrow, not looking to her since he was driving and knew she’d want him to be safe, but he was starting to piece things together. “Em babe even I can’t boss you around. So do you mean-“

“Dad! Er, I mean Hidgens!” Emma hid her face in her hands almost immediately. Paul just started snickering. “Aw babe now you’re the one getting red! I can see you from the corner of my eye! Why are you embarrassed, you’ve called him that loads of times.” Paul asked, trying to relax her over something so little but not really understanding either.

Emma slipped her hands from her face since Paul had already seen, she put the ac on instead. “Yeah but that’s like... the first time it’s been my go to name unless I’ve been... y’know.. really in the shit. I think I might be swapping what I call him on the reg now.”

“First off please never say ‘on the reg again’.” Paul teased, running his thumb over Emma’s finger as he moved the gear stick. “Secondly I don’t think he’d be complaining.”

Emma, even though she was about to give a bit of snark, ran her finger back over the veins of Paul’s hand. “First off you just said you’re not my boss. But yeah you’re probably right.”

Paul nodded, Emma staying silent now that part of the conversation was over to think, until Paul smacked his lips together loudly. “So tell me the job!”

“Oh! Yeah, right!” Emma shook her head, taking her hands off Paul’s to gesture. “So yeah, I’m gonna be his part time lab and class assistant! The college had money in their budget for it and he’s one of the only professors to not have someone like that. He asked me today if I’d like to, after class, so of course I said fucking yes!”

Even though Paul wouldn’t lie that he wasn’t a little downtrodden she wouldn’t be spending her days with him, and he’d be likely to see her less, he was more than happy for her, and that over took every need of his. “Wow Emma, I’m really glad. I think this’ll be good for you and ha, and Hidgens. It might even be better than working at CCRP.”

Almost like Emma had forgotten about that offer, she turned to her boyfriend mortified. “Oh Paul I’m sorry! You’re not-“

“Woah woah. No I’m gonna interrupt you for the first time ever babe. You don’t have to be sorry. I know you’re gonna enjoy working with Hidgens way more than being stuck in a shitty PA job.” He reasoned, wanting to hold her but he couldn’t while he was driving.

Apparently Emma had the same idea though and because she wasn’t driving, she rested her palm on Paul’s thigh. “Maybe I should’ve just sold weed.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was yet again, another night where Paul endlessly begged Emma to at least try therapy.

“I keep telling you, I’m fine! I don’t need it man.” Emma started only for Paul to groan, walking over with the bowl of popcorn and plopping it into Emma’s lap. He liked to do other things when he brought it up so she didn’t get too upset over the seriousness.

“Come on Emma quit the bullshit.” He lightly pressed, letting Emma hand him a piece. He swallowed before continuing “Anyone would need to talk about this. You went through some serious shit.”

“Paul.” Emma put a warning tone on, “I don’t want to talk about this.” Then she turned up the volume before throwing the remote down on the cushions and sinking further into the couch.

Paul paused the movie before it had even started, turning over to Emma and trying to beat her stubbornness. But when she rolled to face him with that stony glare his fight got stuck in his throat. Instead, after a few breaths, he just settled with “Please, Emma. I just want what’s best for you.”

That sad puppy dog look in his eyes made Emma sigh, massaging her temples. She knew. She knew he just wanted to help her, to feel helpful, to make sure she was okay, because even if it had been hard for her to admit the fact to herself for a long time, he did truly love her. She hated the thought of telling all her secrets and feelings even she didn’t even understand to some shrink who’d probably call her crazy, at least, that’s what her parents had said therapists were for, and she didn’t want to get locked away! ...But the more she thought about it the more she realised she didn’t believe anything her parents said to her any more, so why believe that. Peeking open her eyes she saw Paul was looking at her with nothing but worry in his eyes. So with a sigh, she gave in.

“I’ll go... But you have to go too.”

Paul’s eyes lit up and he turned to face Emma, holding her hands in his since he hadn’t been touching her since he sat down. “Yeah if you’d like me to come with you that’d be-!

“No. I meant, will you go see someone yourself?”

Now Paul leaned away slightly. Well, his head flinched back, his hands still stayed securely around Emmas. In fact now they were fidgeting in hers even more. “Why?” He asked, very confused. He wasn’t the one who’d been.. who’d been through all that.

Emma groaned, shuffling forward till their knees were touching. She shook their hands to emphasise. “Because you’re paranoid babe. I don’t need to be locked up.”

Now Paul just felt shitty. He wanted to nuzzle into her and apologise, instead he pulled his hands away in case he was being too clingy. He held hismelf instead. “Em I’m sorry, I’m not going to lock you from the outside world or anything, you know that.” He whined, hugging himself tighter.

“I know but you worry about me so much you barely have any you time.” Emma tried to reason with him, she hated seeing him destroy hismelf because he felt he just didn’t have time to look after himself.

“I don’t need me time when I have we time.” Paul mumbled lowly.

Emma used to hate sickly stuff like that, but now she allowed it every so often. Especially since with every word Emma spoke Paul seemed to shy away from her more. And she didn’t want him to feel like she was attacking him or springing all this on him! She reached her arms across the couch and held his upper arm, stopping him from leaning further away, and then she pulled him closer to her. But they should at least make a deal. “Paul babe as sweet as that was you and I both know it was way overkill-“ she tried to tease, sighing when Paul just bit his lip. “I want us to get back to normal.”

Now, with a heavy sigh, worried whatever he said would be wrong or only fuel Emma’s worry for him, which before he honestly wouldn’t have minded and now just made him feel guilty, he piped up. “I just... I wish I could spend all my time with you, looking after you so _you_ don’t have to worry! But I know I can smother you sometimes...” He confided.

Cupping Paul’s cheek, she angled his face to look at her. “Babe you don’t smother me.” She stroked her thumb over his cheekbone. “I love you. I love having you with me so much, I just feel like it’s too much pressure for one person, even if you’re the strongest person I know.”

Emma was worried Paul was still gonna object, or was gonna come up with more excuses. But the only words that flew from his mouth now were “Says you...”

Bashful and pleased, Emma kept her grasp on his cheek to pull herself in and plant a kiss there. And finally Paul was smiling again. She ran her thumb over where her lips had touched, and he looked up to her so devotedly, enough that she finally felt confident enough to ask “So, I’ll go if you go, deal?”

And of course, Paul doing anything for her, promised.

~~~~~~~~~

One of the tasks Paul’s therapist had asked him to do was take some time away from Emma. He almost didn’t tell Emma this homework because he didn’t want to do it so badly. But he wanted things to get back to normal for Emma, so he let her know, he was supposed to try one night away from her.

When Paul tried to object, with the reasoning that he didn’t want to leave Emma alone his therapist said she could go on a night out with her friends, getting back at 6am, as longs as he woke up without her there, that was good enough. But both Paul and Emma knew she wouldn’t like that option. Luckily, Emma had a better idea.

When she called up Hidgens and asked for a sleepover he was as excited as if a seven year old had been asked that question. He’d been apparently getting ‘everything ready’ whatever that meant, and Paul’s last night with Emma until the day after tomorrow commenced. 

Throughout the night Emma just let Paul hold her. Spooning like that, she could hear every whimper that left his throat as he snuggled into her, wrapping his arms around her chest and entwining his legs, placing his face into Emma’s hair and breathing in like he needed to remember her scent for tomorrow night. Emma had to soothe poor Paul the whole night. 

The next evening she almost didn’t want to leave him, he’d been struggling so much today and was much clingier than usual. She’d made breakfast with Paul’s arms slipped under her armpits and his hands holding her shoulders, his back pressed against hers, his chin on her head, a bit like a backpack. And he’d also asked if they could have a little time in the afternoon to cuddle in bed, although that wasn’t how he phrased it. He was just trying to give himself enough to go on for tonight, it was a big step for him. But when it came to leaving Emma tried to subtly make an excuse to cancel on Hidgens. “No no it’s cool man” she’d attempted to tell Paul “Let’s go order some food, you pick babe, and then we can eat it in bed if you want, if you’re really anxious too we can just have an early night.” Planning on calling Hidgens and reorganising, to profusely apologise and repeat ‘Paul really needs me.’

Paul felt unfortunate that he knew what Emma was doing, because he could have lived in blissful ignorance with Emma tonight. Instead he told her it was okay and that he should do this, to go have fun with Hidgens and that he loved her more than anything.

To Emma, it almost felt like when you’re going away and your dog is whining at the door, poking their head out and wondering why you’re abandoning them. Except Paul wasn’t a dog, although he had some similar aspects to a puppy at times. But Emma knew that Paul knew full well Emma would be back in the morning and this was supposed to be good for the both of them.

But God was she happy to be back in Hidgens home. 

Hidgens had only moved out of her house properly a little while ago, having stayed there for a while for everyone’s sake including his own, but of course he’d visited nearly every day and texted at least every day. 

When Hidgens opened the door for her Emma grinned like a child and ran into his arms, happily being pressed against his chest and trying to subtly rub her face on his very soft pullover, inhaling the scents of her second home and her real dad again.

Especially since there was a time she thought she’d never smell either again.

A giggle escaped Emma’s throat as Hidgens peppered a couple of kisses atop her head, and she looked back, mock rubbing at her hair with her fist.

“Hello darling, it’s so wonderful to see you back here again. Dinner’s all ready and waiting for you! I just knew you’d be on time, you always are. Come on, come.” He scooped his arm around her shoulder, and she knew he missed her touch too, touchstarved and clingy like Paul, but so was she, so she happily nestled into his side as she let him lead the way to her home cooked lobster dinner that she absolutely wasn’t expecting.

To help Paul cope he was allowed to text Emma and Hidgens throughout the night. So when Emma was still trying to finish her big ice cream sundae Hidgens had made for her, like she was a kid again, Hidgens texted him.

`”Hello Paul. Listen Emma is absolutely fine, in fact she’s probably suffering more than you. Emma keeps asking me ‘do you think Paul will be okay’ so take that as a good sign young man. Paul, I know you’re worried, but she really is safe now, I promise.”`

Hidgens thought that’d be good enough. He’d texted Paul just like both him and Emma wanted him too. But not even a minute later his phone started to ring with Paul on the other end.

Confused, Hidgens left to the doorway, where he could still see Emma, but if he talked low enough, with her next to the open window, would hopefully not be audible enough, and picked up. “Hello?”

“Hey!” Paul started, sounding like he was out of breath. “So you spelt ‘hlep’ in the first letter of each sentence so were you trying to spell help? I thought someone might have made you text it or maybe stolen your phone, I mean not really, but I just had to make sure.”

Startled, Hidgens looked back to his text and his eyes did widen. ‘Hello. Listen. Emma. Paul.’ ‘H.L.E.P.’ Oh dear. Even if Hidgens did feel slightly bad it turned out to look like that, he knew Paul was letting his fear do the thinking.

“Paul you’re a very smart man. I mean clearly by seeing that pattern, but you’re also smart enough to know when you’re doing a little too much overthinking son.” Hidgens spoke to Paul a little longer, for once not wanting Emma to come up to him any time soon, since she’d be upset and she and Paul would both start reverting. Hidgens knew this was good for Emma as well as Paul, although much more for the latter. 

Paul just sighed on the other end, sounding drained. “Yeah I knew, but there was like a 1% risk and also I just wanted to hear Emma’s voice tonight... It’s not cheating, Doctor Morris said I’m allowed to call her. Especially for my first try. 

So with a hand rub over his face, Hidgens had to give in to his children. “I’ll put Emma on now.” 

After a few thank yous from Paul there was dead silence on the other end, and Hidgens got a lot of squeaks from Emma, of gratification, anxiety, and excitement. 

Hidgens didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but he would stay where he could see Emma and equally she could see him.

So he heard Emma promising she was having a good time, and that she already missed him, and then as she asked for him to make a note of what he was talking about for next visit with his doctor. She was a very good friend and partner and he was ever so proud of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma and Paul had always wanted dogs, before meeting and when they were together. And today Paul had walked back into the bedroom from his shower in a towel, to see Emma on her phone watching dog compilations on YouTube. 

“Babe come look at this one vid!” Emma patted the space next to her on the bed, Paul hopping in and his hair dripping on Emma as he went in to kiss her cheek. “Ew back off water park.” She teased, pushing his damp chest back but her phone closer towards Paul. 

Paul peacefully sat and watched dog compilations with Emma for 10 minutes, although a few of those minutes were spent looking at her reactions, and how cute she was when looking at those cute dogs. So then Paul was decided. He waited for the end of her video, and as Emma got up to take her shower, Paul took her hand and yanked her back into bed. 

“Emma? Would you like to go to the shelter tomorrow?”

It took Emma a second to realise what he was saying. When she did, her jaw fell to the floor. “Are you serious man?!”

“Yeah! We’ve both wanted a dog for ages we should just go do it!”

“Holy shit!” Emma squealed, punching Paul on the shoulder before throwing herself on him in a hug.

Paul chuckled at her enthusiasm, glad she liked the idea and plus it was a nice commitment for the both of them. He only laughed more as Emma straddled his hips to pin him down for more hugs “Didn’t you just call me a water park like a minute ago?” He teased, running his hands up her arms lovingly. 

“Well I’m gonna have a shower now anyway, so who cares?” Emma was so excited right now, she just threw the top of her torso back down onto Paul, listening to him gasp and laughing, burrowing her head under his chin and laying on his bare chest. 

Paul got a bit scared when she threw herself on him for a second, almost crossing his legs. “Babe, I love you but please be careful. I’m only wearing a towel.”

Emma looked down, like it was the first time she’d noticed that’s all he seemingly had on, which wasn’t unusual for them or anything. She bit her lip and nodded, very seriously. “Yeah. No you’re right. The fact you’re wearing a towel is a problem.”

Not having the ‘just’ before ‘a towel’ gave a whole new meaning to that sentence, and now Paul was evaporating the few water droplets left on him with the flush of his skin beneath her.

When they got to the shelter a day later Paul was now on the same excitement level as Emma, both of them bouncing around like not adults, before the lady let them in to go look around.

Emma was happy to play with all the younger dogs, or at least the most friendly ones, puppies and youngsters bounding towards her, sniffing, licking and wagging their tails excitedly. Emma was almost covered in a fur pile and Paul’s heart just soared as he saw how genuinely happy she was right now.

He walked up to a gate and pointed out to Emma an Alsatian, looking up at them curiously. “This one’s good.” He mused. Emma just laughed “I thought we wanted a smaller dog than that.” She didn’t mind getting a big dog but Paul had always talked about his jack russel terrier he had when he was a teen, and his smaller Labrador as a little kid, Emma had never had pets but loved the fuckers. 

“Well it’s your choice-“ Paul pointed out, saying before they got there Emma could have the ultimate decision as this was a gift for her, ‘just because I love you’ he’d told her. Now he was pointing at a cage opposite. “Oh look this little lady’s half Rottweiler half Labrador! She’d be smaller than a normal Rottweiler right?”

Emma, suspicious, put down the chihuahua she’d previously scooped up in hands, much to its disappointment, and walked around till she found what category she was looking for. And a big Doberman fit perfectly. “What about this guy?” She asked, and Paul slipped over to her call. As soon as he set eyes on the dog almost half the size of a man, or at least next to Emma, Paul placed his hands on Emma’s shoulders excitedly. “Oh yes! Well, we need to check his past, make sure he’s never been aggressive to his owners and female dogs are actually usually more protective of their families but if he’s who you want!”

“Paul are you trying to get us a guard dog?”

Paul spluttered through his talk of adoption papers, looking down to Emma and removing his hands. “What? N-No.” He tried, only to give up seconds later when he knew how unconvincing it was. “That honestly wasn’t the plan. It’s just... if you preferred a dog that was also good at guarding, well, I think it could help us both feel a bit more secure.”

Emma sighed, patting down a Samoyed that was trying to get her attention, to look at an upset lookung Paul. He clearly thought she felt betrayed or something when that wasn’t his intention. “Hey I get what you mean, but I just want a dog I have a connection with, that we both do.”

Once Emma nudged Paul’s side with her elbow he seemed to know everything was okay and so he calmed drastically. “Then that’s what we’ll do babe. Your wish is my command.” He leant in to kiss her forehead, Emma yanking Paul’s tie for at least a peck on the lips after that, and then a very hyperactive pug started jumping at Paul’s trousers, yapping for attention.

Eventually there was a dog Emma and Paul both loved, and they settled on the Dalmatian. Emma just couldn’t stop smiling to herself the day she walked her out on her leash, Paul was just worried Emma was gonna be yanked off somewhere because even when he held her he struggled with her energy. They both just were in love. Watching her jump at Paul to eat his face and nearly getting her paws up to Paul’s shoulders is when Emma knew she didn’t have to look at any of the others.

A Dalmatian was a perfect choice for the two of them. Paul always liked sporty dogs and Emma thought she was just so cute and fun, but also they were known to be protective and can be aggressive to attackers so it was a plus for Paul, but wasn’t necessary for the couple.

They got her settled in, with all her new toys, her bed, where her bowls were, and then they invited Hidgens over for the surprise. 

Although the surprise wasn’t the longest lasting as she barked as soon as the doorbell went. Emma tried to hush her and Paul tried to hold her back as Emma went to the door. But the dog outsmarted both her owners by pretending to be calm only for when her new dads grip was loosened around her collar to spring off, past her mum, and into the legs of the man in their hallway.

“OH MY GOD SIT!” Emma yelled, worried she was going to attack since Hidgens had let himself in like usual, and she didn’t know if it was the fact she told her not to attack or if she wasn’t the most aggressive of her breed but apart from almost running Hidgens over, their dog did nothing to hurt him. Instead jumping up at him, clawing to get a grip since he kept moving, because he didn’t know what was going on, and by he time she was done sniffing her parents were pulling her off the strange man. She ran off to get her toy for him to play, her feet skidding on the tiles of the kitchen, she was just so excited in her new home!

Hidgens semed a bit startled but apart from that just fine, it didn’t stop Emma from apologising and trying to explain that she really was a good dog! Paul was right there agreeing about their new and first pet too. Hidgens was just smiling as she explained. 

“Oh how lovely Emma, I’m glad you’ve finally gotten a canine companion!”

Emma laughed with relief, finally shoving her way into Hidgens arms for their hello hug. Hidgens hummed happily, running his hand up Emma’s back. “What’s his name? Pongo?”

Emma laughed. As if Paul would want her named after a Disney film. “Nope.” She responded.

Hidgens grimaced with smile “Spot?” 

Emma called her over and she ran in immediately, licking Emma’s hands for her own hello and Emma tussled her ears. “We haven’t thought of a name for _her_ yet.” She told Hidgens, scratching under her smiling pets chin now. “I want Paul to pick but he’s being stubborn and wants me to pick.” At that mention she stuck her tongue out at him and instead he came over and kissed her forehead, giving their dog attention too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paul pulled back from their long kiss, resting his head against the pillows with a content sigh. He wrapped the blanket further around Emma’s shoulders, just so they could bother be snuggled under together. Emma rolled her eyes, gripping her hand against his night shirt and pulling him back in, smacking their lips together as her knee curled up onto his hip. It wasn’t anything further, not yet at least, she just wanted to be close to him.

Paul let Emma pull back first this time, panting slightly himself when she did. He was so happy cuddling with Emma, there was honestly nothing that made him happier. It was one thing in his anxiety riddled life he was sure of.

“I wanna be with you forever.” Paul told her, kissing over her cheek, down her neck and one to her shoulder. Emma smiled, closing her eyes peacefully as she responded “Me too”, curling up on his chest more and opening her eyes, clouded over with pure love, facing him now. 

Then Paul took Emma’s left hand into both of his own, just holding it. “I wanna put a ring on it.” He said so softly, not quietly, but softly, as he traced his finger down her ring finger.

Emma’s heart faltered for a good few moments. She didn’t respond, excited at the thought. Then, when she finally could come up with a response, it came out in that very Emma nature. ”Yeah? Well it better be a bomb ass proposal.”

“So would you say yes?”

Emma spluttered, still taken aback. But her whole face was turning red, not pink, but red, at their talk. And Paul was still playing with her ring finger! She wanted to hide her face into the crook of Paul’s neck bashfully, but she also wanted to keep watching him. Especially now she was going to say something that sounded jokey but if he heard her, like he always listened to her, was completely serious. “Paul. You could ask me in a mansion with Gordon Ramsay cooking our food and a million dollar ring, or you could ask me in a swamp when you’ve not showered for days, you could even ask me in this bed as we’re about to fall asleep and I’d say yes in a heartbeat.” She patted their bed for effect, wanting him to know that whenever and wherever he asked the question, she would be ready.

Paul just smiled. “Okay then. Emma? Will you marry me?”

Emma paused, none of her senses making sense. Then Paul took a ring out from the bedside drawer on his side and presented it to her. 

Emma just slapped her hand to her mouth. Now she was crying and her whole entire body shaking. 

Paul kissed her ring finger, he was confident in his decision but so very unnecessarily nervous for the outcome. “Is that a yes?”

“OF FUCKING COURSE IT’S A YES YOU DUMMY!” Emma literally screamed. Her arms were thrown around Paul and from the power of her move they rolled around in bed till she was on top of him again, Paul placing his hands on her hips. “Oh my God Paul of course it’s a yes I want nothing more than to be with you for the rest of our lives!” Emma hissed excitedly, her hands grabbing at Paul’s face and squishing his cheeks, bringing his neck up and lowering hers to pepper kisses all over his cute fucking face. 

Once she was done and he could properly get a look at his fiancé, he tilted his head from under her, smiling. “How was your response better than my question? Not fair.”

Emma purred, sliding her hands up under Paul’s shirt to feel him properly underneath her. “It’s still the best question I’ve ever heard.” She cooed affectionately, leaning down to kiss him again.

Paul giggled, kissing her back giddily now he had the best proof she wanted to be with him as much as he did her. But still in shock and his whole body and mind racing out of control he couldn’t help but joke. “I won’t tell Hidgens. He’ll get worried about the quality of his exams.” He promised jokingly only for Emma to bolt upright.

“OH MY GOD! HIDGENS!!! I have to tell him! I mean about this!” She yelled, just knowing how excited her dad was gonna be to be able to walk her down the aisle.

Paul sat up though, luckily not needing to chase her since Emma, even though sitting up bolt right, was still happily on his lap. “Wait wait wait! First...” Paul slipped the ring on her perfect finger and that’s when Emma started to cry. It was real, a beautiful slim ring with a green diamond in the middle of two curves joining, something not super flashy yet astonishing just like she would have wanted, was resting on her ring finger, and Paul was the person who’d put it there. He wanted to be with her and only her forever. They wouldn’t ever have to be separated properly again.

Emma quickly restarted kissing Paul over and over on his face and he was laughing beneath her, extremely excited, happy, and starting to get ticklish. Whenever he got a chance past Emma’s quick movement he was able to plant a kiss on her too. Until they both decided they needed to kiss each other badly, and they didn’t want to take breaks to wait for the other. So Paul reached up and pressed his lips to Emma’s, and she happily invited him in, moaning and purring and laughing as they held each other as close as they could in their embraces. Emma only pulled back for a second, completely breathless and almost dizzy. Paul smiled up at her, waiting like their overeager dog for her to tell him what to do. Except instead of a command he wanted Emma to tell him he could start kissing her again and where. 

This man, this man looking up at her with a goofy smile, with compete and utter devotion and love in his eyes, with his hands so soft on hers and his words the best she’d ever heard in her life, this was the man she wanted to marry. “You know what?” She decided, angling open her neck in a way that used to be subtle but getting Paul to attach his whole face to in seconds, just wanting to kiss his future wife. Emma groaned happily, her fingers pulling at the hairs at the nape of Paul’s neck just how it got him to melt. “Hidgens can wait till tomorrow, I wanna spend the rest of the night with you alone Mr. Perkins.” She said, allowing herself to be sappy, if she could any day this was it. Well this and her wedding night, she wriggled exitedly in Pauls lap at the thought.

And Paul finally pulled away, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose and looking up at the girl he didn’t know what he’d do without. “I’d love nothing better, Mrs. Matthews.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I wish I could I have done a bit more in places but it was taking a while to get out and i hope the amount I did was alright anyway!!
> 
> I hope this wasn’t too disappointing! I had a feeling people were expecting a lot more angst or for it to be more angst centred like the first chapter, Zoya actually did help me when I was struggling with ten question about if I should add more angst so shout out to her haha, but y’all know I can’t resist a happy ending!
> 
> This chapter killed me but I hope y’all like it!! Please please leave any and all comments as they really help and also I wanna know if ppl like the second chapter/think it was a good idea?
> 
> Thank you sm for reading! 💕

**Author's Note:**

> So this is kinda a different one and sorry it took a while, my brain has not been working great the past few weeks (thx depression & anxiety) but I hope you still like it! Hoping this is okay as I’ve not been through anything like this but put some tw at the start
> 
> I have v vague plans for a possible part two which wasn’t supposed to happen but if y’all want it I could make that, tie up some loose ends for less if a cliffhanger ending, so lmk!
> 
> And also lmk your thoughts on this as comments, any and all, big or small, really make my day and help me know I’m doing things you like (or know to stfu and not post things you hate lmao)  
> Thank you for reading! 💕


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